Two of Newt Gingrich’s Iowa campaign staffers who quit in early June in frustration with the candidate’s lackadaisical campaigning and fundraising have signed back on now that his polling numbers have jumped.

A startling walkout in early June by Gingrich’s entire team of paid Iowa staff, as well as several national aides, cast serious doubts over the future of his campaign.

But polls now show Republicans are giving Gingrich a fresh look: He’s on top of the mountain at 23 percent in a Fox News national poll of GOP primary voters. But he remains at about 5 percent among Iowa likely GOP caucusgoers, according to a new Iowa State University/Gazette/KCRG poll released today.

Hammond said the debt Gingrich carried earlier this year will be paid off within two weeks. He said fundraising has picked up dramatically.

In August, the campaign was so in debt that Gingrich declined to bid on a tent spot for the Iowa straw poll.

As of September 30, the date of the most recent campaign finance reports, his presidential campaign had brought in $2.9 million and he had $353,000 in cash on hand.

Schoenfeld was the Iowa executive director of Newt 2012. Koberg was deputy director.

They were among six Iowa staffers who resigned June 9. Paige Thorson, coalitions director; and three field staffers, Daniel Weiser, Ryan Keller and Joe Heuertz.

How did Gingrich stay alive through this rough spell? Social media, debates and ideas conveyed at personal appearances, his campaign aides said.

In recent days, as Gingrich beelined to the top of polling, examination of his past intensified. The latest headlines involve the $1.6 million he received from Freddie Mac, a mortgage guarantee agency whose business practices have been highly criticized.

Gingrich in Iowa on Wednesday defended that money, saying he provided “strategic advice.”